Often cited as the single most important figure in American filmmaking, David Wark Griffith (1875-1948) was also one of the most controversial. Griffith single-handedly elevated American film to world-class stature, and forced Americans who hitherto thought of movies as light entertainment to perceive cinema as a serious art form with no direct corollary in literature or theatre. However, while his filmmaking technique was sophisticated, his dramatic sensibilities were rooted in the Victorian Era and his racial attitudes reflected his upbringing in the antebellum South. Though the debate about Griffith's character continues today, his influence on the development of cinema is undeniable.
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